Indian and Chinese soldiers have been locked in a stalemate at LAC. (File)
Ladakh / New Delhi:
A Chinese soldier, who was captured by Indian forces in eastern Ladakh after straying through the Line of Effective Control (LAC), was returned to China on Tuesday evening. The soldier, identified as Corporal Wang Ya Long, was arrested in the Chumar-Demchok area, the army said on Monday.
The soldier was questioned by Chinese experts before being handed over to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), sources said.
On Monday, the army said the soldier would be returned to the Chinese military “according to established protocol after due process.” He received medical assistance including oxygen, food and warm clothing “to protect him from the vagaries of extreme altitude and harsh weather conditions,” the military said in a statement.
A request had been received from the Chinese military regarding the fate of the missing soldier, the army added.
The soldier “got lost while helping local shepherds retrieve a yak,” a Chinese officer said in a statement Monday evening. “We hope that the Indian side will keep its promise to hand over the missing Chinese soldier as soon as possible and to implement the consensus reached by both sides at the 7th Senior Commanders Meeting, in order to maintain peace and quiet in border areas, ”said Colonel Zhang Shuili, spokesperson for the PLA’s Western Theater Command.
Indian and Chinese soldiers have been locked in a stalemate at LAC, or the de facto border between countries, in Ladakh since May. Tension peaked in June when 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the line of duty in a clash with the Chinese in Galwan Valley.
There have been several rounds of military and diplomatic talks between the two sides to resolve the impasse, but the Chinese have refused to adhere to the agreements on restoring the status quo.
